Area death

Charles Osbourn “Papaw Wahoo” Sunderland, 73, of Marion died Saturday at Crittenden Health Systems in Marion. Myers Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of arrangements.

We are your personalized gifts HQ

$50 spay, neuter vouchers offered Saturday

Crittenden County Animal Shelter will be selling vouchers for discounted spaying or neutering of pets from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the shelter behind the county road department headquarters on U.S. 60 just east of Marion. 

Residents of Crittenden, Livingston and Lyon counties are eligible to purchase the vouchers, which can be used for cats or dogs at several participating area veterinarians. The cost for each voucher is $50, and it must be used within 90 days with no refunds available. 

For further information, contact the shelter at (270) 969-1054.

Police say man and woman still at large

State and local authorities say a man and woman wanted in several area counties, including Crittenden, remain at large.

State and local law enforcement have beefed up patrols in the Piney and Shady Grove areas of Crittenden County.

The two are believed to be hiding out in the area where Crittenden, Webster, Caldwell and Hopkins counties all converge. 

Police say residents should remain vigilant, yet be safe while doing so. 

The man, Christopher Adam Sheridan, has been at large since he was first sought by Webster County authorities for a parole violation in early May. The woman, Brooke Stevens, was arrested during an alleged burglary May 11 at a Crittenden County church and an accomplice (believed to have been Sheridan) escaped from the scene. Stevens later bonded out of jail and did not appear in Crittenden District Court for a scheduled arraignment Wednesday. Authorities think she has reconnected with Sheridan and the two may be "living off the land," according to Crittenden County Sheriff Wayne Agent. 

See previous post for more information.

WANTED
•Christopher Adam Sheridan, 31, is 5-foot-11, 214 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes. He is wanted for parole violation in Webster County and has been indicted on a separate burglary charge in Webster County. He is also wanted for questioning regarding burglaries in Crittenden, Caldwell and Hopkins counties.

•Brooke Stevens, 34, is wanted on a bench warrant for failure to appear in Crittenden County and on an outstanding Webster County warrant. She is 5-7, weighs 135 pounds.

State police seeking suspect

Click to enlarge

Kentucky State Police are seeking a suspect with knowns ties to Livingston County.

Justin Wayne Goad, whose last known address was in Paducah, is wanted on several charges, including burglary, criminal trespassing, criminal mischief and theft. He is a 26-year-old white mail.

Click on the image of the poster above to enlarge for further details.

Some postage rates to go up Sunday

New postage rates for select mail classes and services will go into effect Sunday.

The cost to send a one ounce First Class letter will not be increasing and will remain 49 cents. Additional ounces will cost 22 cents, a penny increase from 2014. Postcard rates will increase by one cent to 35 cents, from 34 cents in 2014.

For a guide on new postal rates, download the "2015 USPS Postage Rate Increase Guide."

Area death

Janet Ellen Godman, 68, died May 28, 2015, at Livingston Hospital and Healthcare Services in Salem. Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem is in charge of arrangements.

Comer concedes election

Bevin
GOP nominee for governor

Kentucky's primary elections are finally decided 10 days after the polling took place.

Statewide recanvasses conducted Thursday did not change the results of the Republican primaries for governor/lieutenant governor and commissioner of agriculture. Today, James Comer and Chris McDaniel conceded the gubernatorial election, and no recount will be conducted. Accordingly, the State Board will certify Matt Bevin and Jenean Hampton as Republican nominees for governor/lieutenant governor and Ryan Quarles as the Republican nominee for Commissioner of Agriculture.

“Our 120 county clerks and county boards of elections did an outstanding job in quickly and accurately confirming the results of the election,” said Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes. “I am grateful to them for ensuring that voters and candidates alike can be confident in the integrity and reliability of Kentucky’s elections.”

Today, Grimes announced that the State Board of Elections will meet on June 8 to certify the results of the May 19 primary election and issue certificates of nomination to the candidates who received the most votes.

Vote totals for all elections remain unofficial until certified by the State Board of Elections.

Fire destroys Marion mobile home

A fire this afternoon destroyed a mobile home at 116 Brookcliff Drive in Marion. No one sustained serious injuries, but the home was a total loss.

The fire was first reported around 3 p.m. and Marion firefighters were quickly on the scene to extinguish the flames. Though mobile homes sat nearby on either side of the one in flames, neither appeared to suffer any damage.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.

Recanvass does not change outcome of Kentucky's GOP primary

Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes this afternoon announced that a statewide recanvass of the votes in the Republican primary elections for governor/Lieutenant Governor and commissioner of agriculture did not change the results of the elections.

Pursuant to requests from governor/lieutenant governor candidates James Comer/Chris McDaniel and agriculture commissioner candidate Richard Heath, each of Kentucky’s 120 county boards of elections convened today to recheck and recanvass each voting machine. The results were certified to the Secretary of State’s office.

“I’m grateful to our county boards of elections for their efforts to ensure confidence in the primary election results,” said Grimes. “Although there were several minor changes in vote totals, the recanvass did not affect which candidates will become the Republican party’s nominees.”

According to both previously reported vote totals and the recanvass results, Matt Bevin/Jenean Hampton received more votes than Comer/McDaniel in the Republican Gubernatorial Primary, and Ryan Quarles received more votes than Heath in the Republican Primary for Commissioner of Agriculture.

New election totals reflected no change in vote totals for Comer, Bevin or the last-place finisher in a four-way GOP primary for the governor nomination, Will T. Scott. Hal Heiner, however, picked up three more votes in Fayette County. Meantime, Heath picked up one vote in Fayette County, the state's second largest county, but his opponent, Quarles, picked up three more votes – two in Fayette County and one in Lincoln County.

County-by-county results of both recanvasses are available on the Secretary of State’s website.

With the exceptions of Daviess, Fayette, Henderson, Jefferson, Kenton, Nelson and Rowan counties, which received an extension until Monday to certify vote totals to the Secretary of State’s office, the results of the recanvass shall become the official returns of the county.

Grimes, Chair of the State Board of Elections, has called a meeting of the State Board of Elections on June 8 to certify the results of the May 19 Primary Election. All vote totals remain unofficial until certified by the State Board of Elections.

Authorities name wanted suspects

Authorities have now named the suspects they are looking for in a manhunt that spans at least three counties.

Christopher Adam Sheridan and Brooke Stevens, both of Clay, Ky., are sought on various warrants and for questioning with regard to recent burglaries in Crittenden and Caldwell counties.

"Everybody and their brother is looking for them," said Webster County Sheriff Frankie Springfield.

Webster and Crittenden authorities have been working together the last few days trying to apprehend the two. Crittenden Sheriff Wayne Agent thinks they're "living off the land." See previous post.

WANTED
•Christopher Adam Sheridan, 31, is 5-foot-11, 214 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes. He is wanted for parole violation in Webster County and has been indicted on a separate burglary charge in Webster County. He is also wanted for questioning regarding burglaries in Crittenden, Caldwell and Hopkins counties.

•Brooke Stevens, 34, is wanted on a bench warrant for failure to appear in Crittenden County and on an outstanding Webster County warrant. She is 5-7, weighs 135 pounds.

Authorities warn of couple at large

May be in Shady Grove Area

Crittenden County Sheriff Wayne Agent says a couple suspected of being involved in a string of burglaries in the eastern part of the county and perhaps over into Caldwell and Webster counties are believed at large in the area and could be dangerous.

Agent said an adult male and adult female, whose identities are not being released at this time, may be living off the land in or near the Shady Grove area.

The couple is suspected in a burglary at Cave Springs Church, two homes in Crittenden County and one in Caldwell. There is reason to believe they may also be wanted in Webster County.

Agent said the man and woman could be on foot or on an ATV, which also may be stolen.

Authorities spent several hours Wednesday in pursuit of the suspects in rural Crittenden County. A deputy encountered them once, but they got away on a camouflage four-wheeler. They are also believed to be in possession of a red four-wheeler.

The couple is alleged to have pointed a firearm at a motorist on Bellville Bottoms Road early yesterday afternoon.

The sheriff encourages anyone who comes in contact with these suspects to avoid a confrontation and to call police dissipating immediately at 270-965-3500. They are believed to be armed and possibly dangerous.

Ky. election recanvass continues

Election officials across the state are wrapping up their review of results of Kentucky's primaries for governor/lieutenant governor and commissioner of agriculture. Boards of election in all 120 counties began reviewing totals from all respective electronic voting machines and absentee ballots at 9 a.m. local time.

Late this morning, Crittenden County Clerk Carolyn Byford said the review of totals from the May 19 election in Crittenden County had been completed with no changes found in either race. In fact, according to The State Journal in Frankfort, 85 counties have reported with no changes discovered.

Louisville businessman Matt Bevin leads state Agriculture Commissioner James Comer by 83 votes in one of the closest elections in state history. Comer has not conceded and requested the review, called a recanvass, the day after the election. Richard Heath, a state representative from Mayfield, lost to fellow state representative Ryan Quarles by 1,427 votes out of the more than 183,000 cast in the race, and also asked for the recanvass last week. The review is different from a recount in that it does not examine individual ballots.

“Transparency is an important element of ensuring confidence and integrity in our elections,” said Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes. “My office is committed to providing information as quickly as possible, and we’ll make the results available online.”

Immediately upon completing the recanvasses, each county board must fax the results to the Secretary of State’s office. The results of both the governor/lieutenant governor and commissioner of agriculture recanvasses will be available on the Secretary of State’s website.

In Crittenden County, Comer earned 274 votes to Bevin's 260 and Heath outpaced Quarles 300-220 in the primary. Those results were again reported to Frankfort after today's recanvass.

With the exceptions of Daviess, Fayette, Henderson, Jefferson, Kenton, Nelson and Rowan counties, which received an extension until Monday to certify vote totals to the Secretary of State’s office, the results of the recanvass shall become the official returns of the county. All vote totals remain unofficial until the State Board of Elections certifies the results of the primary election.

Election results won’t be official until the State Board of Elections certifies them by June 8.

Any of the four candidates involved in the recanvasses could ask a judge to order a recount, an expensive process the candidate would have to pay for himself.

Portion of Ky. 365 closed today

A section of Ky. 365 in Union County will be closed today starting at 9 a.m. near the Union-Crittenden County line.

Ky. 365 will be closed between the 0- and 1-mile marker in Union County near the Tradewater River Bridge at Sturgis to allow repairs to be completed on a cross drain that was recently replaced.

Ky. 365 is expected to remain closed until about 1 p.m. today.

There will be no marked detour. However, motorists may self-detour via U.S. 60.

What's news in Crittenden County this week...

Graduation in Crittenden County is just two days away, but the rest of this week is chock full of special events for seniors as well as the school district.

For the 79 graduating seniors, baccalaureate services will be held tonight at Rocket Arena. Class night follows on Thursday and commencement wraps up the activities on Friday. All events start at 6 p.m. at the arena.

Also on Friday will be the induction of two new members to Crittenden County Distinguished Alumni. One graduated from Marion High School and the other, soon to be the youngest member of local "achievement hall of fame," received her diploma just 13 years ago. Both scholars will be honored at a luncheon Friday.

But there's much more going on in Crittenden County to be read about in this week's edition of The Crittenden Press, including:

• Census estimates drop in Marion's population. Also find population estimates for other area cities.
• Lady Rockets earn first-ever 5th District crown.
• Two to be recognized as Crittenden County Distinguished Alumni.
• Foster, Beavers lead class of 79 graduates.
• Chamber of Commerce holds annual awards banquet.
• Crittenden 1 of 28 counties better off than before Great Recession.
• High school dropout age raised to 18 this fall.
• Youth summer meal program begins June 1.
• Smithland woman charged with theft.
• Local woman wins Atmos contest.
• Reports of scams continue to flow into sheriff’s office.
• Former Marion man named president of college.
• Bright outlook for soybeans, corn this year.
• County’s cost to provide health insurance up 8.3 percent.
• Emmanuel Baptist Church has a new pastor.
• Memorial Day marked in Crittenden County, with photos.
• High school students get jump on college, careers

Tolu hosts music, dancing Saturday

Cotton Patch Express Band will be returning to the Tolu Community Center Saturday evening. Music and dancing begins at 5 p.m. with a potluck dinner to follow at 6:30 p.m. The monthly event is used as a fundraiser for the community center.

City postpones budget meeting

Marion City Council has cancelled its special meeting scheduled for Thursday. A new date will be set to vote on the city’s budget.

Area deaths

Geraldine Eberle, 63, of Marion died today at Crittenden Health Systems in Marion. Myers Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of arrangements.

William Edward “Bill” Todd, 77, of Marion died May 24, 2015 at his home. Myers Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of arrangements.

Princeton woman wins NCAA women's golf title

Caldwell County native Emma Talley won the NCAA women's individual golf championship Monday to become the fifth player to win the title and the U.S. Women's Amateur.

Talley plays golf for the University of Alabama. She won three state titles while in high school at Caldwell County.



Read More in the New York Times.

Mineral museum digs, show June 6, 7

Day and night mineral digs will be offered in conjunction 

with the Ben. E. Clement Mineral Museum Gem and 

Mineral, Fossil and Jewelry Show next month.

The Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum in Marion will be presenting its 10th annual Gem and Mineral, Fossil and Jewelry Show next month.

The event is slated 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 6 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m June 7. Admission is free.

The Gem and Mineral Show will feature vendors, museum tours, children’s activities, silent auctions, door prizes and mineral digs. A beading class will be offered at 2 p.m. June 6 for a small fee.

Items for sale will include gemstones, rocks, mineral specimens, jewelry, fossils and items made from rocks and minerals.

Meantime, the digs are designed to be fun for everyone. They will be held at old mine sites across the county where participants will dig for an assortment of minerals, including fluorite, quartz, calcite, galena, barite, and sphalerite.

Day and night digs are being offered. Short-wave ultra-violet lights will be provided for the night digs. Diggers need to bring shovels and picks.

The cost for the day digs is $25 per person and night digs are $45 per person.

For more information, contact the mineral museum at (270) 965-4263 or visit its website at ClementMineralMuseum.org.

Press ad deadline noon Tuesday

The advertising deadline for this week's issue of The Crittenden Press will be noon Tuesday. The office opens at 9 a.m.

UPDATE: Softball regional postponed to Thursday

The Lady Rockets' softball Second Region game against Henderson scheduled for today has been postponed until 6pm Thursday at Hopkins Central.

Never forget their sacrifice

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived."

-- Gen. George S. Patton

SBDM meeting rescheduled

The regular May meeting of the Crittenden County High School SBDM council will be Tuesday, May 26, at 3:30 p.m. in the high school conference room.

Softball game delayed until 2

The lady Rockets fast pitch softball game in the Second Region tournament has been delayed today due to wet fields. The game is now set for 2 PM at Hopkins Central.

City council to vote on budget Thursday

Marion City Council will meet at 5 p.m. Thursday in special session at Marion City Hall to discuss and vote on the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

Get your invitations for any occasion

Lady Rockets open region on Memorial Day

Coach Warriner goes over strategy during a recent game.

Crittenden County's Lady Rockets will play in the Second Region Fast-Pitch Softball Tournament at 11 a.m., Monday – on Memorial Day – at Hopkins Central High School.

This is the first time CCHS has ever qualified for the regional tournament.

Following are pairings and tournament schedule:

MONDAY'S GAMES
Crittenden County vs. Henderson County, 11am
Christian County vs. Caldwell County, 1pm

Union County vs. Lyon County, 3pm
Madisonville vs. University Heights, 5pm

TUESDAY'S GAMES
Crittenden/Henderson vs Christian/Caldwell, 6pm
Union/Lyon vs. Madisonville/UHA, 8pm

THURSDAY'S GAME
Championship, 6pm

Lions Club hosts car show June 6

Get your motor running and head out on the highway to the Crittenden County Fairgrounds. 

On June 6, Crittenden County Lions Club will present a Top 50 Car Show. The show is open to all makes and models. Organizer Kenny Perry said it doesn’t matter if individuals want to enter a brand new car, a restored car or anything in between. 

Awards will be presented at 5 p.m. Top 50 awards and more than 25 specialty awards will be given away. The entry fee to participate in the show is $20. 

Gates will open at 8 a.m. Parking is $5 for spectators. Those who want to walk to the event can get in free. 

Additionally, a show for kids will begin at 10 a.m. that same day at the fairgrounds. Perry said kids can bring their power wheels or bicycles to enter the junior show.

All proceeds from the event help sponsor Lions Club projects, including the eyeglasses program, youth sports and the county fair. 

Lady Rockets claim championship

It's a first championship for the Lady Rocket fast-pitch softball team.

Crittenden County, after setting a record for most wins in a season, claimed its first ever Fifth District Tournament title on Tuesday, beating Lyon County 2-1 at Smithland.

Lyon had beaten the Lady Rockets in two previous meetings this season.

Grimes received second recanvass request

Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes today received a written recanvass request from Richard Heath, a Republican candidate for Agriculture Commissioner. The request seeks a recanvass of all precincts in all Kentucky counties. Unofficial vote totals currently show Heath with a 1,427-vote deficit to his opponent, Ryan Quarles.

Grimes is forwarding the request to all county clerks and reminding them of the recanvass procedures. Her office also sent information and forms for a potential recanvass prior to the election.

“Our office is always available to assist county boards of elections in any way we can,” Grimes said. “Integrity in our elections processes is crucial, and Kentuckians deserve to know that their votes are properly counted and tabulated.”

On Wednesday, the Secretary of State’s office received a statewide recanvass request from James R. Comer and Chris McDaniel, Republican candidates for governor and lieutenant governor.

County boards of elections will convene next Thursday morning to recheck and recanvass the voting machines. Immediately upon completion of the recanvass, the county boards of elections will file their recanvass reports with the Secretary of State.

Ky. pays $195K to defend gay-marriage ban

Gov. Steve Beshear’s administration has paid $195,400 to a private law firm to defend the state’s gay marriage ban after Attorney General Jack Conway refused to do so. Records obtained under the state open records act show the Ashland firm hired by Beshear submitted bills for 1,659 hours through March 31, a month before gay marriage cases from Kentucky and three other states were argued at the U.S. Supreme Court. That means additional bills are certain.

For more, visit The Courier-Journal online.

Workshops at WKCTC to assist in bypassing remedial classes

West Kentucky Community and Technical College can help individuals enhance their reading, writing and mathematics skills with a series of free summer workshops.

WKCTC’s Adult Learning Center will host two sessions of the Maximize Your Academic Potential (MAP) workshop series Mondays through Thursdays beginning June 1 and ending June 24 and again July 13 –30. The daily workshop sessions begin at  8:30 a.m. and run to 12:30 p.m. in the Anderson Technical Building.

“These workshops are designed to not only increase familiarity and skills in reading, writing and math, but also to assist its participants in raising their college course placement scores,” said Samantha Williams, program director for WKCTC Adult Learning Centers. “This will provide students the opportunity to bypass remedial courses, which can help them save time and money as well as graduate faster,” said Williams.

Participants must complete the TABE pretest, a diagnostic test to determine skill levels in reading, writing and math, on or before next Thursday. Individuals must also attend the mandatory orientation to the workshop series from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June 1.

“We are hoping students will take advantage of our free summer workshop series,” said Williams. “In the end, the goal of our program is to not only help individuals in raising their COMPASS and/or TABE scores, but also to provide them with the skills to become stronger students overall.”

Space is limited. For more information, contact Samantha Williams at (270) 534-3451 or samantha.williams@kctcs.edu.

Offices closing for Memorial Day

All city, county, state and federal government offices, including Crittenden County Public Library and the University of Kentucky Crittenden County Cooperative Extension Service, will be closed Monday in observance of Memorial Day. All courthouse offices except that of the property valuation administrator will also be closed Saturday.

The downstairs PVA office will be open from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday.

The Crittenden Press will be closed Monday; therefore, the advertising deadline for next week’s edition of the newspaper will be at noon Tuesday.

Because of Monday’s postal holiday, delivery of The Early Bird should be expected one day late.

4 Memorial Day services held locally

Gen. Scott Campbell

Four area ceremonies have been scheduled in observance of Memorial Day.

On Saturday, Blackford Veterans’ Memorial Trail will play host to Crittenden County native Brig. Gen. Scott A. Campbell with the Kentucky National Guard. He will be the keynote speaker for the annual event, which begins at 2 p.m.

The next day, in Burna, American Legion Post 217 will host an 8 a.m. service with a continental breakfast to follow. This year’s guest speaker will be Bruce Von Dwingelo. The ceremony will conclude in time for churchgoers to attend Sunday services.

“This is a yearly service and perhaps the last year all the crosses and flags will be displayed for all Livingston County deceased veterans,” said auxiliary president Faye Gibson. “The veterans who died during the past year will be displayed at the front of all the other crosses and flags.  There will be close to 2,300 displayed this year.”

Those attending will once again be able to pick up a poppy to honor veterans.

The traditional American Legion Post 111 observation of Memorial Day will take place Monday at Mapleview Cemetery in Marion. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. with former Army Ranger Denis Hodge featured as the guest speaker. Inclement weather will move the service to Fohs Hall.

Also on Memorial Day, the annual ceremony at Shady Grove Cemetery will begin at 11 a.m. with lunch at the Shady Grove Volunteer Fire Department barn to follow. The keynote speaker will be 5th Judicial Circuit Family Court Judge Brandi Rogers. Music will be provided by Becky Zahrte with "Taps" played by Mason Haire.

End-of-year school events start today

Congratulate your graduate

Grimes receives official recanvass request

Today, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes received a written request from James R. Comer and Chris McDaniel, Republican candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, for a statewide recanvass of the results in the Republican gubernatorial primary election. Currently, unofficial vote totals indicate Comer and McDaniel trail opponents Matt Bevin and Jenean Hampton by 83 votes.

“My office is notifying all county boards of elections that a recanvass has been requested and reminding them of the procedures to be followed,” said Grimes. “As always, we will assist the county boards of elections in any way we can.”

Grimes also sent county clerks information and forms for a potential recanvass prior to the election.

County boards of elections will convene next Thursday morning to recheck and recanvass the voting machines. County boards of elections will notify the candidates of the location of the recanvass. Immediately upon completion of the recanvass, the county boards of elections will file their recanvass reports with the Secretary of State.

2nd GOP primary to undergo recanvass

Heath

With the Republican nomination for governor in Kentucky headed for a recanvass, it appears a second contest will also be reviewed.

Rep. Richard Heath of Mayfield, who received 806 fewer votes Tuesday than Rep. Ryan Quarles for the nomination for ag commissioner, told the West Kentucky Star that he plans to call for a recanvass.

Current Agriculture Commissioner James Comer has called for a recanvass of Matt Bevin's 83-vote lead in the GOP contest for the governor nomination.

What's news in Crittenden County this week...

Suicide has become a growing cause of death in America and in Kentucky over the last 20 years, now ranking as the 10th leading cause of death in both the country and the state.

And Crittenden County is not immune from the disturbing trend. In fact, in the last year, there have been an alarming number of deaths determined to be suicides.

Read more on this story and the following in this week's issue of The Crittenden Press:

• Find local and statewide results from Tuesday's primary election in Kentucky.
• Forgotten Passages: Memorial Day honors county's own heroes.
• Fallen Heroes: Find our annual tribute to local men who lost their lives defending the freedoms we hold dear.
• City budget expected to be ready for May 28 vote.
• Lions Club to host car show next month.
• Local daycare center closing at end of May.
• Tourism impact climbs in Kentucky, remains static in Crittenden County.
• Three track team members headed to state.
• Lady Rockets will play for district championship.
• Photos: Elementary classes follow chickens from egg to hatchling.
• Photos: Spring Fling another success at CCES.
• Adult Education Center ranked 14th in state.
• Area Ford dealership closing at end of month.
• County snubbed for federal disaster aid.
• Grand jury indicts three.
• Ten sentenced in circuit court.

Grimes prepared for potential recanvass

Comer

In the wake of the Tuesday's Republican gubernatorial primary election in which Matt Bevin and James Comer are currently separated by only 83 votes, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, Kentucky’s chief election official, is prepared to implement procedures for a recanvass in the event one is requested.

“Both candidates and the public are entitled to confidence in election results, and I stand ready to facilitate any proceedings necessary to provide those assurances,” said Grimes. “My office is prepared and will continue to provide updates regarding any recanvass requests we receive and the procedures being followed.”

To obtain a recanvass in a statewide election, a candidate must submit a written request to the Secretary of State’s office no later than 4 p.m., EDT next Tuesday. The request may be limited to certain precincts or counties or seek a statewide recanvass, and the Secretary of State’s office will communicate the request to all county boards of elections involved.

Pursuant to Kentucky law, the county boards of elections for the counties in which a recanvass was requested will convene at next Thursday morning to recheck and recanvass each voting machine and make a return to the county clerk, which shall become the official return for the county.

Each candidate and both political parties are entitled to have a representative present at the recanvass. In addition, the county board of elections shall authorize members of the media to observe.

The purpose of a recanvass is to verify the accuracy of the vote totals reported from the voting machines. The method for conducting the recanvass depends on the type of voting machine and is set forth in an administrative regulation, 31 KAR 4:070. No voting machines are unlocked during the recanvass. If there was an error in the original canvass, the returns shall be corrected. The county board of elections must file its recanvass report with the Secretary of State immediately upon completion of the recanvass.

On May 11, the Secretary of State’s office distributed to all county clerks vote total certification forms and a memorandum with the procedures and forms to be used in the event a recanvass is requested.

Since January 2011, the Secretary of State’s office has received five recanvass requests – three for legislative offices and two for judicial offices. The recanvass results did not change the outcome of those elections. The last statewide recanvass occurred in the 2011 Republican primary for the office of Secretary of State between Bill Johnson and Hilda Legg. The recanvass resulted in a change of 6 votes in favor of Hilda Legg, the losing candidate, but did not change the outcome of the election.

Most fish landed by angler in small boat

Huge fish caught on local lake.

Read more, click here.

Fiscal court to vote on budget Thursday

Crittenden Fiscal Court will meet at 8:30 a.m. Thursday in the judge-executive’s courthouse office. Approval of the county’s $8.71 million 2015-16 budget is expected. A public hearing on the discontinuation of Ken Spar Road in the county road system will also be held.

KSP selling chances for GMC Sierra

2015 GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab SLE

In observance of the 50th anniversary of Trooper Island, Kentucky State Police is featuring a tough, yet stylish 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab SLE pickup in its fundraising raffle this year.

Designed for work or play, the truck includes a Sonoma Red Metallic exterior and Jet Black interior; a four-door, air-conditioned crew cab with heated, leather front seats; a 5.3L V8 EcoTec3 engine with 355 hp; a six-speed automatic transmission with four-wheel drive; electric power steering; and a five-year/100,000 mile powertrain limited warranty

For a chance to put this truck to work in your family or business fleet, tickets can be purchased for $10 at The Crittenden Press office at 125 E. Bellville St. in Marion during regular business hours. You may also contact Trooper First Class Darron Holliman or any trooper or Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officer. Tickets are also available online by debit or credit card payment at TrooperIsland.org.

Only 20,000 tickets will be sold. The winning ticket will be drawn on Aug. 30 at the Kentucky State Fair. Ticket holders do not have to be present at the drawing to win. Raffle winner is responsible for all tax and license fees.

Trooper Island is a free summer camp for underprivileged boys and girls age 10-12 operated by KSP on Dale Hollow Lake in Clinton County. It is financed entirely by donations; no public funds are used. Each year, the camp hosts approximately 700 children, providing good food, fresh air, recreation, guidance and structured, esteem-building activities designed to build good citizenship and positive relationships with law enforcement officers.

Sheriff warns of PCH scams

Agent

Crittenden County Sheriff Wayne Agent said his office continues to be pummeled with reports of scams.

Recently, he has dealt with several cases related to taxpayer identity theft. Now, another popular scam involves Publishers Clearing House.

The sheriff said people are reporting receiving checks from PCH and after cashing them, they are asked to send more money to claim a larger prize. He warns, do not cash these checks.

According to the PCH Sweepstakes Learning Center online, winning is always free and you never have to pay anything to claim a prize award.

"If you are ever contacted by someone claiming to represent PCH, or claiming to be one of our employees, and asked to send or wire money (for any reason whatsoever, including taxes); or send a pre-paid gift card or Green Dot Moneypak card in order to claim a sweepstakes prize, don't!  It’s a scam. If you are sent a check, told it’s a partial prize award, and asked to cash it and send a portion back to claim the full prize award, don't! The check is fake, but the scam is real!" offers the website.

As for the taxpayer identity theft, the cases involve local taxpayers who have found their tax return to have been fraudulently filed by someone who has stolen their Social Security number. Agent said about the only thing his office can do is create a report that can be used by the IRS to start an investigation.

A notice from the Internal Revenue Service saying your return won’t be accepted might be your first clue that your identity has been stolen. Identity theft could lead to long delays in getting your refund or to bigger tax bills for unreported income.

“The IRS recognizes the first return submitted under a Social Security number, and usually the identity theft is identified when the second return is filed” under that same number, Mark Luscombe, principal federal tax analyst for Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting, US, recently told The Associated Press.

More than 236,000 tax returns processed last year were deemed fraudulent because of identity theft, and nearly $1.2 billion in refunds from those fraudulent returns were blocked, according to the Treasury inspector general for tax administration.

Recall affects nearly 34 million vehicles

Takata, one of the largest suppliers of automotive airbags, on Tuesday agreed to double the number of vehicles recalled in the United States to nearly 34 million due to a potentially dangerous defect, according to the New York Times. Upon deployment, the airbags can explode violently and send shrapnel flying. The Japanese company's defective airbags have been linked to six deaths and more than 100 injuries.

The recall is the largest in American history and affects 1 in 7 vehicles on the road in America. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recall affects BMW, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota and Mitsubishi models.

Visit NHTSA's recall page online to determine if your vehicle falls under the recall.

Baseball is done; softball lives on

The Lady Rockets beat Livingston Central Tuesday to earn a berth in Thursday's district championship and next week's Second Region Tournament.

However, the Rocket baseball team's season came to a close, but it was very close Tuesday against Trigg County.

See this week's printed edition of The Crittenden Press for more details.

GOP nomination for governor in doubt

Bevin

Only the Republican nomination for governor in today's primary election remains in doubt.

On the Democratic slate, Jack Conway is the winner in the governor's race, Alison Lundergan Grimes is the winner in the secretary of state's contest and Rick Nelson is the nominee for treasurer. Conway and Grimes had commanding victories.

For the GOP, with 100 percent of the vote counted, Matt Bevin holds an 83-vote lead over James Comer. The race is too close to call, and Comer has requested a recanvass.

Meantime, Whitney Westerfield of Hopkinsville won the nomination for attorney general with 53 percent of the vote. Allison Ball earned 47 percent of the vote in a three-way contest for treasurer. And The Associated Press, projected Ryan Quarles the winner of the ag commissioner race with 806 more of the 183,976 total votes cast than Richard Heath of Mayfield.

See Wednesday's issue of The Crittenden Press for local results and more details.

Primary election is today

The primary election is today.

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and any eligible voter who is in line to vote by 6 p.m. will be allowed to cast a ballot. Crittenden County Clerk Carolyn Byford reminds voters that the morning and evening hours before and after work, as well as lunch time, tend to be the busiest at the polls, so voters who visit the polls during those periods should plan accordingly.

Byford urges voters to avoid surprises on Election Day by checking their polling place and viewing sample ballots through the Voter Information Center. You may also contact Byford's office at (270) 965-3191.

Under Kentucky law, employers must allow employees who are eligible to vote to be absent from work for at least four hours in order to cast a ballot. Kentuckians who will be working on Election Day outside the county in which they reside are eligible to vote by absentee ballot. Employers may specify the hours during which an employee may be absent, and employees should request voting leave in advance of the day on which they will vote. Employers have discretion whether to compensate employees for voting leave.

For additional election information, visit the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.ky.gov, follow @kysecofstate on Twitter, like Kentucky Office of the Secretary of State on Facebook, find the Crittenden County Clerk's website at www.crittenden.clerkinfo.net or call the office at (270) 965-3191.

Fifth District postponed for Rain

The Fifth District baseball tournament scheduled to begin tonight at Livingston County has been postponed due to weather. The baseball and softball tournament is expected to get underway Tuesday night. Here is the updated schedule:

BASEBALL
5th District Tournament
at Livingston Central
TUESDAY'S SEMIFINALS
Crittenden Co. vs. Trigg Co., 5:45pm
Livingston Cent., vs. Lyon Co., 7:30pm
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Thursday, May 21, 6pm

SOFTBALL
5th District Tournament
at Livingston Central
TUESDAY’S SEMIFINALS
Trigg Co. vs. Lyon Co., 5:45pm
Crittenden vs. Livingston Cent., 7:15pm
THURSDAY, MAY 21
Championship Game, 6pm

Area deaths

David Gene Damron, 57, of Paducah, formerly of Livingston County, died May 16, 2015, at Lakeway Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Benton. Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem is in charge of arrangements.

William "Bill" Syers, 88, died Aug. 21, 2014, after an extended illness. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of arrangements.

Wanda Mae Shell, 79, of Metropolis, Ill., formerly of Burna, died May 16, 2015, at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah. Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem is in charge of arrangements.

Grimes offers dos, don'ts of election

Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes is reminding voters of Election Day “Do’s and Don’ts” in advance of Kentucky’s primary election on Tuesday.

“Kentucky is at its best when every voice is heard,” said Grimes. “I hope this information will help voters avoid surprises on Election Day.”

• DO verify your voter registration status before you head to the polls. Registration status is available through the Voter Information Center (VIC).
• DO know where you vote. You can find the address of and driving directions to your polling location through VIC.
• DO know the most convenient times to vote. Polls tend to be busiest during the morning and evening rush hours and at lunchtime.
• DO bring appropriate identification to your polling location. You must either be known by a precinct officer or produce a driver’s license, social security card, credit card, or other form of identification that contains both a picture and signature in order to cast a ballot.
• DON’T wait until the last minute to head to the polls or be discouraged by long lines. Remember, as long as you are in line by 6 p.m. local time Tuesday, you will be allowed to cast your ballot.
• DON’T record the identity of voters in the voting room, including through the use of cameras and cell phones.
• DO ask a poll worker for instructions on how to use the voting machine or other procedural questions if you are confused about the voting process.
• DO let officials know immediately if you encounter any problems at the polls. You can address issues with your precinct election officers, the county clerk, the State Board of Elections at (502) 573-7100, or the Attorney General’s Election Fraud Hotline at (800) 328-VOTE.
• DON’T forget to thank your poll workers. This election would not be possible without them, and they deserve our appreciation.
• DO remind your friends and family to vote. Our democratic society is at its best when all eligible voters’ voices are heard at the polls.
• DON’T forget that you can obtain election results by visiting www.elect.ky.gov.

For additional election information, visit the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.ky.gov, follow @kysecofstate on Twitter, like Kentucky Office of the Secretary of State on Facebook, find the Crittenden County Clerk's website at www.crittenden.clerkinfo.net or call the office at (270) 965-3191.

Johnson's AC unit cleaning clinic

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Tuesday's Democratic primary ticket

For additional election information, visit the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.ky.gov, follow @kysecofstate on Twitter, like Kentucky Office of the Secretary of State on Facebook, find the Crittenden County Clerk's website at www.crittenden.clerkinfo.net or call the office at (270) 965-3191.

Tuesday's GOP primary ticket

For additional election information, visit the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.ky.gov, follow @kysecofstate on Twitter, like Kentucky Office of the Secretary of State on Facebook, find the Crittenden County Clerk's website at www.crittenden.clerkinfo.net or call the office at (270) 965-3191.

Ky. Chamber offers voter's guide

Ahead of the 2015 gubernatorial primary elections, the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce has put together a voter’s guide for the citizens of the commonwealth.

With all of the noise in political campaigns, it can be hard to compare the candidates in races on their stances. So the Kentucky Chamber has compiled the stances of all six candidates in both primary elections, four Republicans and two Democrats, on the issues important to the business community and the state. The following stances have been gathered through responses by each candidate to a policy survey from the Kentucky Chamber as well as various public remarks made by the candidates.

As a non-partisan organization, the Kentucky Chamber does not endorse in statewide races but our organization hopes this voter’s guide gives the people of the commonwealth the information they need before heading to the polls Tuesday. See the full guide online by clicking here.

Click here to download the Kentucky Chamber’s 2015 Gubernatorial Primary Election Voter’s Guide to Business Issues. The publication contains the stance of the Kentucky Chamber as well as each of the candidates in the primary races on many issues important to the state.

Power out to 125-plus KU customers

Almost 130 Kentucky Utilities Co. customers in Marion have been without power for an hour.

According to KU's Outage Map found on the utility's website, power has been out to 128 customers on the north end of town and just outside the city limit since 4:18 p.m. The cause is listed as an equipment issue and power is expected to be restored by 6:30 p.m.

Earlier today, a power surge affected numerous businesses and homes across Marion, causing them to loose power briefly. The surge also affected the traffic light at South Main and Gum streets. At of 5:15 p.m., the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet reported the signal was back online.

Firefighters respond to Hickory Heaven

Crittenden County Volunteer Fire Department responded to a fire just east of Marion on U.S. 60 just before 5 p.m.

The blaze was in a structure housing the barbecue pit at Hickory Heaven restaurant. Apparently, some cardboard boxes inside the metal structure caught fire when hot wood coals came in contact with them.

Damage appeared to be minimal and firefighters had the fire well under control within a couple of minutes of arriving.

The fire department cleared the scene at 5:18 p.m. after a little more than 15 minutes at the fire.

No injuries occurred.

Marion True Value closed Friday

Clean and service your AC

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Area death

Vineta L. Hunter, 85, of Marion died today in Newburgh, Ind. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of arrangements.

Election fraud hotline open Tuesday

As voters prepare to head to the polls Tuesday, Attorney General Jack Conway reminds Kentuckians that they can help his office combat vote fraud by utilizing his Election Fraud Hotline. Kentuckians who witness election irregularities or possible election law violations are encouraged to call the Election Fraud Hotline at (800) 328-VOTE (800-328-8683).

“Our Election Fraud Hotline is an important tool in the fight to ensure honest and fair elections for all Kentuckians,” Attorney General Conway said. “I want to encourage voters to be our eyes and ears in the polling places and report any election irregularities to our hotline.”

The Attorney General’s Election Fraud Hotline is open throughout the year during normal business hours and from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. EDT on Election Day. The hotline received 205 calls from more than 60 counties during the 2014 Primary Election and 226 calls from more than 50 counties during the 2014 General Election.

Investigators from the Attorney General’s Office will also be patrolling precincts and polling places across the Commonwealth during Tuesday’s general election.  General Conway’s office has worked closely with the Secretary of State’s Office, United States Attorney’s offices in Eastern and Western Kentucky and other members of the Kentucky Election Integrity Task Force to protect voters and the integrity of the election.

By law, the Office of the Attorney General has jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute election law violations. The office is also required by statute to conduct post-election audits in six randomly drawn counties within 20 days of the election.

Grimes forecasts turnout in primary election

Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes today projected approximately 10 percent of the 3.1 million people registered to vote in Kentucky will turn out for Tuesday's primary election. Locally, Crittenden County Clerk Carolyn Byford estimated a liberal 17 percent turnout in the county.

“After reviewing absentee data provided by our county clerks and historical turnout in similar election cycles, I forecast only approximately 1 in 10 registered Kentucky voters will cast ballots in Tuesday’s primary election,” Grimes said. “But as the Commonwealth’s chief advocate for civic engagement, I am hopeful that as many as are eligible will participate.”

In 2011, the last election for statewide constitutional officers in Kentucky, 10.35 percent of voters went to the polls for the primary. Seventeen percent of the Kentucky electorate voted in the 2003 primary election, which is the last time there was not an incumbent candidate for the office of governor.

As of May 11, 3,388 voters had voted absentee on machines in county clerks’ offices and 3,586 absentee ballots had been mailed to voters.

Grimes encourages voters to prepare to vote Tuesday by checking their polling places and viewing sample ballots through the Voter Information Center.

Saturday's Big Fling at CCES

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Area deaths

Gerald T. "Jerry" McCree, 66, of Marion died May 12, 2015, in Marion. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of arrangements.

Lou Ella Coffer, 87, of Marion died today at her home. She was the owner of Marion True Value. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of arrangements.

What's in the news this week...

Crittenden County’s top election official anticipates fewer than 1 in 5 voters to turn out Tuesday. “My initial guess was 17 percent, and I'm starting to get worried about that,” County Clerk Carolyn Byford said last week, gauging by the low number of absentee ballots cast by that time. Tuesday is primary election day in Kentucky. Republicans and Democrats will go to the polls to select their respective nominees for statewide constitutional races that will be decided in November. Chief among them will be the contests for gubernatorial nominations.

Read more about Tuesday's election and the following stories in this week's issue of The Crittenden Press:

• Rural water district earns quality award.
• Chittenden to retire as superintendent of Livingston Schools.
• Planting finally making headway.
• CCEDC struggling financially, but optimism prevails.
• Civil War created divide for Kentucky families, friends.
• Board of education puts price on naming rights.
• Local Memorial Day events slated.
• Police: Burna fire set intentionally.
• Estimates: County cattle numbers fall.
• Industrial park road nearly done.
• Local church marks 180 years.
• Area students receive diplomas from WKCTC.
• Rockets, Lady Rockets winding down seasons.

Chamber award luncheon May 21